This story was originally published by Outlier Media.
Are you ready to cast your ballot? Whether you’re curious about how candidates for president are speaking about your priorities, need to get up to speed on local and statewide races, or want to check whether you’re registered to vote, Outlier Media is here to help you get informed — before, during and after Election Day, Nov. 5.
Learn more about how Outlier covers democracy, or get in touch to ask any questions you have.
Voter resources
🗳️ Register to vote
📝 Check if you are registered to vote
📍 Find your polling place or early voting location
✉️ Request an absentee ballot
🔄 Track your absentee ballot
🔎 See what’s on your ballot
🏛️ Detroit City Clerk’s Office:
2 Woodward Ave. #200, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-3270
How to vote early, absentee in Detroit
What are absentee voting and early in-person voting?
Absentee voting and early in-person voting are different ways you can vote without having to go to the polls on Election Day. Any registered voter in Michigan can take advantage of either of these options.
Absentee voting is also known as “voting by mail,” and “voting from home.” The Michigan Secretary of State primarily uses the term “absentee voting” to refer to this process. Voters submit an application to the city clerk online, by mail or in person. The absentee ballot will arrive in the mail to the address provided on the application with instructions for how to return it.
In 2022, Michigan voters approved an amendment to the state constitution to allow early in-person voting for state and federal elections. For the November election, the City of Detroit is offering early in-person voting daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct 19-Nov. 3. There are 14 early voting centers in Detroit (at least two in each district). See early voting options in other cities here.
In September 2024, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson testified in front of the U.S. Committee on House Administration about what Michigan is doing to ensure that the November election is secure and accurate. Michiganders cast paper ballots, which are considered the most secure method of voting because they can be verified and counted by hand if needed.
Who can vote absentee in Michigan?
Any register Michigan voter can vote absentee. (Previously, you needed a reason to do so.)
What’s the deadline to request an absentee ballot in Michigan?
To get an absentee ballot by mail, the city clerk must receive your request by 5 p.m. Nov. 1. However, the state recommends requesting an absentee ballot no later than Oct. 21. You can also visit the city clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot in person until 4 p.m. on Nov. 4.
How do you get an absentee ballot in Michigan?
There are three options for requesting absentee ballots: online, by mail or in person from the city clerk. You can request your absentee ballot online here. To apply for an absentee ballot by mail, you can print out the application or call your city clerk’s office and ask for it to be mailed to you. Mail the completed form to your city clerk’s office.
What’s the deadline to return an absentee ballot in Michigan?
The city clerk must receive absentee ballots by 8 p.m. on Election Day (Nov. 5) for them to be counted. (Military and overseas ballots can be counted up to six days after the election.)
How do you return an absentee ballot in Michigan?
Here’s how you can return your completed absentee ballot:
You can return your absentee ballot at an early voting center, which in Detroit are open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Oct. 19-Nov. 3. See a map of Detroit centers or early voting options in your city.
You can return your absentee ballot at a 24/7 ballot drop box in Detroit or to the city clerk’s office until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Find your nearest ballot drop box by entering your street address in this form or view the entire list here. You can also submit your absentee ballot at your regular precinct on Election Day.
You can mail your ballot to the city clerk’s office. Your absentee ballot includes a return envelope addressed to the clerk. Voting rights advocates recommend mailing your absentee ballot at least two weeks before Election Day. After that date, they advise returning your ballot to a drop box, at an early voting center, to the clerk’s office by hand, or to your regular precinct on Election Day to be sure it arrives on time and is counted.
Ballot drop box locations in Detroit
Voters registered in Detroit can return their absentee ballot by placing it in a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Drop boxes are available 24/7 until then. There are 35 ballot drop boxes throughout the city.
Find a ballot drop box by entering your address on the Michigan Voter Information Center site or view the entire list here.
Are Detroit’s ballot drop boxes secure?
Ballot drop boxes are secured according to guidance from the Bureau of Elections and Michigan Election Law. Those stipulations include bolting or locking drop boxes to the ground or other stationary objects; placing them in well-lit, public locations; and monitoring as necessary. All Detroit boxes have video surveillance.
Drop boxes must be emptied at least once a day. Only the clerk, deputy clerk or an authorized assistant of the clerk can empty drop boxes. Any other staff coming into contact with the ballots must be trained on maintaining chain of custody.
How to track an absentee ballot in Michigan
You can track the status of your absentee ballot: whether your request has been received, whether your ballot has been mailed to you, and finally, whether your ballot has been received by your clerk. Track your ballot by entering your voter information at the Michigan Voter Information Center.
If you notice that your ballot has not been marked as received within a few days of mailing it or dropping it in a drop box or early voting center, call your city clerk’s office (in Detroit: 313-876-0190). Officials can confirm whether your ballot has been received. Some ballots might take longer than usual to arrive. If your clerk has not received your ballot, it could be lost or stuck in the mail. You’ll need to spoil your absentee ballot and cast a new vote.
How to spoil an absentee ballot in Michigan
What do I do if I already submitted my absentee ballot but want to change my vote?
You have to go to the city clerk’s office to sign a written request to spoil your initial absentee ballot and request a new one by 5 p.m. on Oct. 25. It is best to make this request as early as possible because a ballot that has already been counted cannot be spoiled.
You must sign your request and state whether you want your new absentee ballot mailed to you or whether you will pick it up from the city clerk’s office. You also have the option of voting in person, either at an early voting center from Oct. 19-Nov. 3 or on Election Day at your designated polling location.
I returned my absentee ballot by mail or a drop box, and it’s not marked as received. What do I do?
You will need to request to spoil your missing ballot and receive a new one at the city clerk’s office before 4 p.m. Nov. 4. You can complete your replacement ballot there, and return it to the Clerk that day.
You also have the option of trying to voting in person at an early voting center from Oct. 19-Nov. 3 or at your designated polling location on Election Day. Election workers will check their records to ensure your ballot hasn’t been received. If it has been received, they’ll let you know, and send you home. If it hasn’t been received, they’ll ask you to sign a form to cancel your absentee ballot and then allow you to vote in person.
What if I received an absentee ballot, but it has an error, or I make a mistake?
First, don’t throw it out. You can contact or go to the clerk’s office to spoil that absentee ballot and request a new one until 4 p.m. Nov. 4. Bring the original ballot with you if possible. You can also go to an early voting center from Oct. 19-Nov. 3 or to your polling place on Election Day and complete a form to vote. Again, bring the original absentee ballot if possible.
What if I received my absentee ballot but would rather vote in person?
You can still complete your absentee ballot at home. Bring it with you when you go to vote at an early voting center or to your polling place on Election Day. The election workers will give you a secrecy sleeve so you can insert the ballot into the tabulator.
What to do if your absentee ballot doesn’t arrive in the mail
If you requested an absentee ballot but never received it, you can contact or go to the clerk’s office to cancel your first absentee ballot and request a new one until 4 p.m. Nov. 4. You can also vote at an early voting center between Oct. 19-Nov. 3 or at your polling place on Election Day. When you arrive, tell an election worker you didn’t receive your absentee ballot and complete the form to vote.
How to fill out an absentee ballot correctly
Your absentee ballot will come with a list of instructions, a secrecy sleeve and a pre-paid envelope.
You have to sign and date your absentee ballot envelope on the indicated line before you return it, and the city clerk will review your signature to see if it matches the one they have on file. Read more about how clerks match signatures.
